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LIRR riders still miffed over Jamaica transfer after MTA tweaks schedules for Grand Central Madison
By
Bahar Ostadan
and
Clayton Guse
Published Mar 6, 2023
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By
Bahar Ostadan
and
Clayton Guse
Published Mar 6, 2023
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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority tweaked Long Island Rail Road schedules and added more cars to some trains on Monday, one week after the launch of full service into Grand Central Madison brought new timetables that outraged riders.
But the changes were not enough for some Long Islanders who said they were upset about transferring at Jamaica Terminal in Queens for a commute that used to offer a one-seat ride to or from Penn Station in Manhattan.
“I don’t know one person who’s not affected by the timetable,” LIRR commuter Maya Charland said at Jamaica Terminal on Monday evening. “I’ve not heard one person that’s like, ‘Hey, it’s better.’”
MTA officials heralded the launch of full service into Grand Central Madison as a 40% service boost on weekdays for the LIRR. But the change also moved dozens of trains that used to run to or from Penn Station to the new terminal on Manhattan’s East Side.
In the race to make a transfer at Jamaica on Monday evening, one woman fell down a set of stairs. She declined to give her name — but said she missed her connection, and would have to wait another 40 minutes at the Queens terminal.
MTA officials said they’ve started holding trains at Jamaica to make the connections easier — and noted they’ve deployed dozens of employees to help guide riders through the changes.
“There was less crowding on trains this morning, passenger flow at Jamaica was much better due in part to Penn and Grand Central trains coming in on nearby platforms for easier transfers, and many trains that had been more crowded last week got added cars," said Catherine Rinaldi, interim Long Island Rail Road president and president of Metro-North. "[Gov. Kathy Hochul] challenged us to deliver the kind of service our customers want and deserve and we are making progress with an improved service plan.”
MTA officials on Monday said the longer trains would help reduce crowding on the LIRR, and noted the changes reduced peak headways from 12 to eight minutes on trains running to or from Atlantic Terminal, where riders saw the biggest cuts from last week’s changes.
LIRR rider Bridget — who declined to provide her last name because she works for the city’s Education Department — commutes between Atlantic Terminal and Rockville Centre on Long Island each day. She said the new schedules have taken away her one-seat ride, and the extra train didn’t fix the issue.
“They’ve done nothing for the Brooklyn people,” she said. “We can deal with the closeness. We’re over it. But the lack of service, the lack of times, the lack of connections…. It’s not surprising.”
MTA officials said roughly 34% of LIRR riders traveled to Grand Central Madison on Monday morning, up from an average of about 30% last week.
One of those riders who switched to the new terminal was Allen Parker, who commutes from Glen Cove on Long Island. He works on Manhattan’s East Side and has to connect at Jamaica, but he now gets to ride in a cozy LIRR train to the MTA’s gleaming new terminal.
“For anyone who’s lost faith in the ability of government to do anything well, the new LIRR station in Grand Central is fabulous,” Parker said. “I have to change and that’s unpleasant, but then I’m close to my job — and I don’t have to ride the subway.”
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transportation
Bahar Ostadan
Bahar Ostadan covers the NYPD and public safety. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or message Bahar on Signal at 646-740-7335.
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Clayton Guse
Clayton is the editor of the Transit and Infrastructure desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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